The
ancient and sacred temple of Sri Venkateswara is a Hindu Temple in
the hill town of Tirumala, near Tirupati in the Chitoor District of Andhra
Pradesh, South India. Also known as the Tirupati Balaji Temple, it has become a
focal point of contemporary religion in India, and is dedicated to Sri
Venkateswara who is the presiding deity and also known by the name of Lord
Balaji, Lord Srinivasa, or Seshadri. He is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu,
the Preserver of the Universe. It is around 150 km (93 miles) from
Chennai, 500 km (310 mi) from Hyderabad, and 250 km
(160 mi) from Bangalore. The temple is located on the seventh peak,
Venkatachala (Venkata Hill) of the Tirupati Hill, and lies on the southern
banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini, a holy water tank. The Sanctum sanctorum which
houses the awe-inspiring idol of the Lord of the Seven Hills is situated in the
main temple complex of Tirumala.
The
Tirumala Hill is 853m above sea level and is about 10.33 square miles
(27 km2) in area. It comprises seven peaks, representing the seven heads
of Adisesha, thus earning the name Seshachalam. The seven peaks are called
Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrushabadri, Narayanadri, and
Venkatadri. The temple is on Venkatadri (also known as Venkatachala or Venkata
Hill), the seventh peak, and is also known as the "Temple of Seven
Hills" (Saptagiri in Sanskrit). The presiding deity of the
temple is Lord Venkateswara, a form of the Hindu God Vishnu. Venkateswara is
known by other names: Balaji, Govinda, and Srinivasa. The temple complex
comprises a traditional temple building, with a number of modern queue and
pilgrim lodging sites.
The
Tirupati Temple originated in Vaishnavism and Hinduism and observes the
philosophy of equality, and love. Sri Venkateswara attracts crowds of all
ages, faiths and nationalities for his belief in his ability to answer prayers
and perform the most improbable miracles.
The
temple of Sri Venkateswara has unique sanctity in Hindu religion. It is
believed that in the Kali Yuga, one can attain mukti, only by worshiping
Vendata Nayaka or Sri Venkateswara. The temple has its origins in Vaishnavism,
an ancient sect which advocates the principles of equality and love, an
prohibits animal sacrifice.
The
temple is the richest pilgrimage center, after the Shree Pamanabhaswamy Temple
in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, of any faith (at more than Rupees 50,000
Crore and the most-visited place of worship in the world. The temple is
visited by about 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims daily (30 to 40 million people
annually on average), while on special occasions and festivals, like the annual
Brahmossayam, the number of pilgrims shoots up to 500,000, making it the
most-visited holy place in the world.
There
are several legends associated with the manifestation of the Lord in
Tirumala. According to one legend, the temple has a murti (deity) of Lord
Venkateswara, which it is believed shall remain here for the entire duration of
the present Kali Yuga. Tirumala has remained a highly frequented pilgrimage
site in Tamilakam throughout most of its history and was a principle
temple in the country of Tondai Nadu before the territory was transferred
to Andhra Pradesh in the 20th century. Almost all the epigraphs of the
temple are in Tamil and interspersed with Grantha characters.
History of the temple
Ancient
history
In
the Dvapara Yuga, the hill was known by the name of Sheshachala or Sheshadri.
The place was known as Venkatachala for centuries; it is believed that this
name was given by Lord Brahma. Ancient Tamil Litrature works
Silappatikaram and Manumekalaire refer to this place
as Thiruvengadam. "Ven" means "sin" and
"Kata" means "destroyed or burnt". Therefore the name means
that a person who worships there will get cleansed of all sins.
The
precise origins of the temple are not known. However, it is generally
believed that the first temple at Tirumala Tirupati was built by King
Thondaiman, Tamil ruler of the ancient Thondaimandalam, after he
had a dream of Lord Vishnu. He is said to have built the original Gopuram
(tower) and the Prakhara in the 8th century. Later on, the Chola Dynasty (300
BC–1279) vastly improved the temple and gave rich endowments.
Medieval
history
All
the great dynasties of rulers of the southern peninsula have paid homage to
Lord Sri Venkateswara in this ancient shrine. The Pallavas of Kancheepuram (9th
century AD), the Cholas of Thanjavur (a century later), the Pandyas of Madurai,
and the kings and chieftains of Vijayanagar (14th - 15th century AD) were
devotees of the Lord and they competed with one another in endowing the temple
with rich offerings and contributions. It was under the regime of the Vijayanagara
emperors that the temple gained most of its current wealth and size, with the
donation of diamonds and gold. In 1517 Vijayanagara ruler Sri Krishna Deva
Raya, on one of his many visits to the temple, donated gold and jewels,
enabling the Vimana (inner shrine) roofing to be gilded. Sri Krishnadevaraya
had statues of himself and his consorts installed at the portals of the temple,
and these statues can be seen to this day. There is also a statue of
Venkatapati Raya in the main temple.
After
the decline of the Vijayanagar dynasty, nobles and chieftains from all parts of
the country continued to pay their homage and offer gifts to the temple. The
Maratha general, Raghoji Bhonsle, (died 1755) visited the temple and set up a
permanent endowment for the conduct of worship in the temple. He also presented
valuable jewels to the Lord, including a large emerald which is still preserved
in a box named after the General. Among the later rulers who have endowed large
amounts are the rulers of Mysore and Gadwal.
After
the fall of the Hindu kingdoms, the Muslim rulers of Karnataka and then the
Britishers took over, and many of the temples came under their supervisory and
protective control.
Modern history
In
1843 AD, the East India Company divested itself of the direct management of
non-Christian places of worship and native religious institutions. The
administration of the shrine of Sri Venkateswara and a number of estates were
then entrusted to Sri Seva Dossji of the Hatiramji Mutt at Tirumala, and the
temple remained under the administration of the Mahants for nearly a century,
till 1933 AD.
In
1933, the Madras Legislature passed a special act, which empowered the Tirumala
Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Committee to control and administer a fixed group
of temples in the Tirumala-Tirupati area, through a Commissioner appointed by
the Government of Madras.
In
1951, the Act of 1933 was replaced by an enactment whereby the administration
of TTD was entrusted to a Board of Trustees, and an Executive Officer was
appointed by the Government .
TTD
is operated by a Board of Trustees that has increased in size from five (1951)
to fifteen (1987) through the adoption of Acts. The daily operation and
management of TTD is the responsibility of an executive officer who is
appointed by the government of Andhra Pradesh. The provisions of the Act of
1951 were retained by Charitable and Religious Endowments Act, 1966.
The
temple attracts approximately 75,000 pilgrims every day. The annual
budget, estimated at Rs 10 billion in 2008, is funded mostly by donations. TTD
runs charitable trusts whose funds are derived from the budget and donations
from the devotees.
The Temple and its
Structure
The
temple has the South Indian Dravidian style of architecture with a main Gopuram
which has a glided golden cupola (Vimana) called as Ananada Nilayam over the
main shrine. The shrine has three enclosures called “Prakharams”. While the
outermost enclosure comprises the Dhavajasthamba – a banner post, the other
enclosures have many statues including that of the King Krishnadevaraya of
Vijaynagar and his spouses and of Todamal, the minister of King Akbar.
The
main door or outer Gopuram is called “Padi Kavali Maha Dwara” which stands on a
rectangular base. The architecture of the alter is of the Chola period and
inscriptions on the Gopuram date back to the 13th century. This Gopuram has a
number of stucco figures of Vaishnava Gods like Hanuman, Kevala Narasimha and
Lakshmi Narasimha.
“Nandimi
Padi Kavali” is the inner Gopuram, the inner entrance to the temple which is
reached via Dhwajasthamba Mandapa. It has wooden doors covered in silver plates
and is called as “Vendi Vakili”
The
path for circumnavigating the temple is called “Pradakshinam”. The main temple
has three Prakarmas and between the outer and middle Parakarma is the second
pathway for circumambulation which is called as “Samoangi Pradakshanam”. This
pathway is closed to pilgrims and contains several of the Mandapams (halls)
like the Ranga Mandapa, Pratima Mandapa, Tirumal Raya Mandapa, Aina Mahal,
Dhwajasthamba Mandapa.
The
temple complex inside consist of several elegantly carved doorways, mandapams
and shrines. The beautiful idol of Shri Venkateswara is placed in the main
sanctum of the temple. Inside the main sanctum are also three consecutive halls
- Snapana mandapam, also called Tiruvilan Kovil or square hall, Rama Meda or
the rectangular hall and Sayana Mandapam or Ardha Mandapam which is also
rectangular in shape.
The
temple has a kitchen area also called “Potu” where the food offering for the
main temple is prepared.
Vimanam
The
roof with shining golden exterior of the inner temple that houses the presiding
deity is named "Vimanam" in a Hindu temple. In the Tirumala temple,
it holds a very special place as the Ananda Nilayam (meaning Abode of Happiness
or Bliss literally) with its imposing view, magnificence, and readily recognizable
identity to any devotee familiar with the temple and its fame. Its inner
temple or Vimanam houses the main deity, Lord Sri Venkateswara. The deity
stands directly beneath a gilt dome called the Ananda Nilaya Divya Vimana. This
exquisitely wrought deity, called the Mulaberam, is believed to be
self-manifested, and no human being is known to have installed it in the
shrine. The Lord wears a gold crown with a large emerald embedded in the front.
On special occasions, he is adorned with a diamond crown. The Lord has a thick
double Tilaka drawn on his forehead, which screens his eyes. His ears are
decorated with golden earrings. His right hand is raised in a fist, which is
decorated with a gem-set chakra; the left fist contains a Shankha (conch
shell). The front right hand has its fingers pointing to his feet. His front
left hand is akimbo. His body is dressed with yellow clothing tied with gold
string and a gold belt with gold bells. He has a Vainopavita (sacred
thread) flowing down crosswise from his left shoulder. He bears Sri Lakkshmi
Devi on his right chest and Sri Padmavathi Devi on his left chest.
His feet are covered with gold frames and decked with gold anklets. A curved
gold belt encompasses his legs. The Ananda Nilaya Divya Vimana was covered with
gilt copper plates and surmounted with a golden vase in the 13th century,
during the reign of the Vijayanagara king Yadava Raya.
Ramanuja
Adjacent
to the Sangeeta Bhandara in the northern corridor of the Vimana Pradakshinam is
the shrine of Sri Ramanuja, the great Vaishnava Acharya. It is also called the
Bhashyakara Sannidhi. Ramanuja was the architect of Tirupati and the father of
the Sri Vaishnava community there. He designed the flower gardens of the
temple. He was responsible for managing the worship procedures and other
affairs of the Sri Venkateswara temple. His shrine was built around the 13th
century. It overlooks the western end of the Tirumamani Mandapam. There are two
tall copper images of the Dvarapalas (door guardians) Jaya and Vijya on
either side of the door. The door is covered with gilt plates depicting the
Dashavatara of Sri Maha Vishnu. The doorway is directly in line with the
Padi Kavali and the Vendi Vakili. It admits pilgrims to the Snapana Mandapam.
Suprabhatam is sung in front of this door. The Pandyan emblem of two fish
and a hook is carved on the wall next to the entrance. The right hand of the
stone image of Ramanuja is held in the gesture of exposition (vyakhyana mudra),
and the left hand in the form of boon bestowal (varada hasta) or of holding a
book (pustaka hasta). The shrine figures prominently during the festival of
Adhyayanotsavam, which is a typical Pancharatra observance. Special worship is
conducted in this shrine during Gandhapodi Utsavam and Bhashyakara Utsavam. The
presiding deity of Ramanuja is taken in a grand procession to meet Malayappa
near the Padi Kavali.
Things to See in the
Temple
Ranga
Mandapam
The Ranga Mandapam, also known as Ranganayakula Mandapam it is located in the south east corner of Sampangi Pradakshinam. The shrine in this hall is believed to be the place where the Utsava Murti of Lord Ranganadha of Srirangam was kept in the 14th century, when Srirangam was occupied by Muslim rulers. The mandapa was constructed between 1320 – 1360 by Yadava ruler Shri Ranganadha Yadava Raya in the Vijayanagar style of architecture.
Pratima Mandapam
The
Pratima Manadam (a Hall) gets its name from Pratimas, or bronze images of the
King Krishnadevaraya of Vijayanagar empire and his two consorts - Tirumaladevi
and Chinnadevi who are all facing the shrine with their hands joined in
supplication. The hall is also called as Krishna Deva Raya Mandapa. The
southern wing of this mandapam has the statue of Venkatapathi Raya of Aravidu
dynasty who ruled Chandragiri in 1570. The mandapa was built in the later
period of Vijayanagar rule and is filled with images of the Vijayanagar period.
At the top of the two main pillars of the mandapam there are Vaishnava symbols
also called “Urdhvapundras” flanked by a carving of conch and disc.
Tirumal Raya
Mandapam
Adjoining the Ranga Mandapam on the western side of this hall, the Tirumal Raya Mandapam is also called Anna Unjal Mandapa. It is a large complex of pavillions with 2 levels - front at a lower level and the rear at a higher level. The mandapam also has a complex of pillars in the Vijayanagar style of architecture with the central pillar surrounded by smaller pillars some of which produce musical notes. The main pillars have rearing horses with mounted warriors. The best sculptures found here are of bold relief.
The
inner portion of the mandapa was constructed in 1473 by Saluva Narasimha to
celebrate the festival of Sri Venkateswara and is called as “Anna Unjal
Tirunal”. Aravati Bukkaray Ramraja, Sriranga Raja and Tirumala Raja have
extended the structure to its present form. It is in this mandapam that the
Utsava Murthi holds his annual darbar or Asthanam during Garudadhwaja, that is
to hoist the Garuda flag on Dhwajasthamba to mark commencement of Brahmotsava.
In the corner of the hall are situated bronze statues of Todermal, his mother
and wife.
Aina Mahal
Aina
Mahal, situated on the northern side of Trirumala Raya Mandapam, consists of 2
parts - an open mandapam in the front having six rows comprising of six pillars
each, and a shrine behind which consist of an Antarala and Garbhagriha. The
shrine has large mirrors which reflect images in an infinite series. An Unjal
is situated in the middle of the room on which the Lord is seated during
festivals.
Dhwajasthamba Mandapam
The
Dhwajasthamba Mandapam houses the "Dhwajasthamba" which is a wooden
flag pole encased in gold and Bali Peetha which is a seat for food offering.
The position of both is according to Vaikhanasa Agamic traditions. An unusual
feature of this mandapa is that it is covered to facilitate the conduct of
rituals in all type of weather conditions.
Deities in the temple
Moolavirat or
Dhruva Beram —
The main stone deity of Lord Venkateshwara is called Dhruva Beram
(beram means "deity", anddhruva means "pole star"
or "fixed"). The deity is about 8 feet (2.4 m) from the toes to
the top of the crown and is considered the main source of energy for the
temple.
Kautuka
Beram or Bhoga Srinivasa — This is a tiny one-foot (0.3 m) silver
deity, which was given to the temple in 614 AD by Pallava Queen Samavai
Perindevi, and has never been removed from the temple from the day it was
installed. This deity is popularly known as Bhoga Srinivasa, because it enjoys
all the Bhoga (worldly pleasures) which the Moolavirat has. This
deity sleeps in a golden cot every night and receives Sahasra Kalashabishekam every
Wednesday. This deity is always placed near the left foot of Moolavirat and is
always connected to the main deity by a holy Sambandha Kroocha. The deity
is always faced at an angle of 45 degrees towards the devotees, because it
holds a Prayoga ("ready to strike") Chakra.
Snapana
Beram or Ugara Srinivasa — This idol of the Lord represents the
anger part of Lord Venkateshwara. He remains inside the sanctum sanctorum, and comes
out on only one day each year: on Kaishika Dwadasi, before the
sunrise. Snapana means "cleansing". The idol is cleansed
daily with holy waters, milk, curds, ghee, sandalwood paste, turmeric, and so
on.
Utsava
Beram —
This is the form of the Lord which comes out of the temple to see the devotees.
This deity is also called Malavappa, and its consorts are Sridevi and Bhudevi.
These three deities were found in a cave called Malayappan Konai in the holy
Tirumala Hills. Originally Ugra Srinivasa was the Utsava Beram (the procession
deity), and frequently disastrous fires were happening whenever the deity was
taken out for processions. People prayed to the Lord for a solution. The Lord
appeared in dreams, and ordered the people to find a suitable set of idols
hidden in the Holy Tirumala hills for the Utsavar (procession). The hunt began,
and the villagers called the idol they found Malayappa, which means
"king of the hills". After these idols were brought to the temple,
the number of programmes increased to include Nitya Kalyanaotsavam,
Sahasra Deepalankara Seva, Arjita Brahmotsavam, Nityaotsvam, Dolotsavam, and
others. Jewels worth millions of rupees have been donated as offerings to these
idols.
Bali
Beram or Koluvu Srinivasa — This silver idol resembles the main
deity, and represents the presiding officer for all activities and rituals in
the temple. The idol is also called Bali Beram. Koluvu Srinivasa is regarded as
the guardian deity of the temple that presides over its financial and economic
affairs. Daily offerings are made to the deity, with a presentation of
accounts. There are also rituals performed in July each year, at the end of the
fiscal year.
Worship
The
names ascribed to the main deity are Balaji, Srinivasa, Venkateswara,
and Venkatachalapathy. The goddess Sri or Lakshmi (Vishnu's consort)
resides on the chest of Venkateswara; thus, he is also known by the epithet
"Srinivasa" (the one in whom Sri resides). The goddesses Lakshmi and
Padmavathi reside on either side of his chest. The deity is considered the Kali
Yuga varada, that is, 'the boon-granting Lord of Kali yuga'. (Kali yuga is
the fourth and final age of the Hindu cycle of ages). The temple is held in
particular reverence by the Vaishnava sect of southern India, known as the Sri
Vaishnava.
For
worshippers, the deity Venkateswara symbolizes goodness. When people travel to
Tirupati, they chant the mantra “Yedu Kondala Vada Venkataramana Govinda Govinda” (in
Telugu) or “Om namo narayanaaya” or “Om Sri Venkatesaya Namah” (in
Sanskrit). Lord Venkateswara is believed by followers to be a very merciful
form of Vishnu, being the fulfiller of every wish made to him by the devotees.
The
Venkateswara Suprabhatam, the morning recital of prayers and songs of
awakening, was written by Prathivadhi Bhayankaram Annangaracharya of
Kanchipuram and sung by M. S. Subbulakshmi. Several composers composed
beautiful kirtanas about Lord Venkateswara, the most notable amongst them being
Tyagaraja and Annamacharya, who composed mostly in Telugu. Annamacharya (1408–1503)
was a legendary devotee of Lord Venkateswara and composed songs almost
exclusively about the deity.
The
Temple's hours of operation varies by the day.On most days, On normal days the
temple is open for “Sarvadarsanam” which means “darshan for all” for about 18
hours and during peak festival days it is open for about 20 hours. A day at
Tirupati Tirumala temple begins with 'Suprabhatam' ("Awakening the
Lord") as early as 3:00 AM and ends with the 'Ekanta Seva' ("Putting
the Lord to Sleep") around 1:00 AM the following morning.
Lord
Vishnu is worshiped in the Temple as per Vaikhanasa traditions. The ancient
texts of the sage Marichi (the Bhagvad Shastram and Vimanarchana
Kalpam) state that Lord Vishnu here should be worshipped six times a day.
UshaKala
Aradhana — worship (or Aradhana) should start and finish before
sunrise
Prathakala
Aradhana — worship should start after sunrise and finish before noon
Madhyanika
Aradhana — worship should start and finish at noon
Aparahana
Aradhana — worship should start when the sun starts to descend
SandhyaKala
Aradhana — worship should start and finish around the sunset
Ardharatri
Aradhana — worship should start after the horizon is completely dark
All
the Aradhana is done by hereditary Vaikhanasa priests, who have
performed the services for generations. Only these priests have the right to
touch and offer services to the Lord. These set of Ardchakas are called Mirasidars
(owners and shareholders of the temple). The four families of the Tirumala
Temple which are in this Mirasi are the Gollapalli, Peddintti, Paidipalli, and
Tirupathammagari family.
To
assist the Archakas in temple work and rituals, Ramanuja established a Jeeyar
Mattam, wherein this Mattam would take care of the temple work.
Temple activities
Prasadam
Laddu
is the world famous Prasadam given at Tirumala Temple. Recently the
Trust has taken copy right of Laddu prasaddam, hence, no one can prepare the
same Laddu. Many other prasadams are also available including daddojanam (curd
rice), pulihora (tamarind rice), vada and chakkera-pongali (sweet pongal),
miryala-pongali, Appam, Paayasam, Jilebi, Muruku, Dosa, seera (kesari). Free
meals are given daily to the pilgrims. On Thursdays, the Tirupavadai seva
occurs, where food items are kept for naivedyam to Lord Srinivasa.
Hair
tonsuring
Many
devotees have their head tonsured as an offer. The daily amount of hair
collected is over a ton. The hair thus gathered is sold by the Temple
Organization a few times a year by public auction to international buyers for
use as hair extensions and in cosmetics, bringing over $6 million to
the temple's treasury.
When
Lord Balaji was hit on his head by a shepherd, a small portion of his scalp
became bald. This is noticed by Neela Devi, a Gandharva princess. She
feels "such an attractive face should not have a flaw". Immediately
she cuts a portion of her hair and with her magical power she implants it on his
scalp. Lord Balaji notices her sacrifice. As hair is a beautiful aspect of the
female, he promises her that all his devotees who come to his abode should
render their hair to him, and she would be the recipient of all the hair
received. Hence it is believed that hair offered by the devotees is accepted by
Neela Devi. The hill Neeladri, one among seven hills is named after her.
Hundi
(donation pot)
It
is believed that Srinivasa had to make arrangements for his wedding. Lord
Kubera credited money to the god Venkateshwara (a form of the god Vishnu) for
his marriage with Padmavati. Srinivasa sought a loan of one crore and 14 lakh
(11,400,000) coins of gold from Kubera and had Viswakarma, the divine
architect, create heavenly surroundings in the Seshadri hills. Together,
Srinivasa and Padmavathy lived for all eternity while Goddess Lakshmi,
understanding the commitments of Lord Vishnu, chose to live in his heart
forever. In remembrance of this, devotees go to Tirupati to donate money in
Venkateshwara's hundi (donation pot) so that he can pay it back to Kubera. The
hundi collections go as high as 22.5 million INR a day. Devotees offer gold as
a token of their love for God. The annual gold offering goes as high as
3000 kg.
Thulabaram
One
of the most important offering in this temple, is the ‘thulabharam.’ In the
Thulabaram ritual, a devotee sits on a pan of a weighing balance and the other
pan is filled with materials greater than the weight of the devotee. Devotees
usually offer sugar, jaggery, tulsi leaves, banana, gold, coins. This is mostly
performed with newborn babies or children.
Arjitha
seva (paid services)
Pilgrims
can view and participate (in a limited fashion) in the various sevas performed
to Dhruva (main idol), Bhoga Srinivasa, Sri Malayappa Swami and other
idols in the temple.
When
pilgrims purchase arjitha seva tickets, they get the opportunity to see a seva
performed to the Lord, obtain prasadam in the form of vastram (clothes), akshantalu
(sacred and blessed rice) and food articles (laddus, vadas, dosas, pongal, rice
items) and a darshan of the utsava murti.
The Seven Hills
The
seven hills, also called Saptagiri, represent the Saptarishi (seven
sages). They sometimes called the Sapathagiri. Hence the Lord is named
Saptagirinivasa. The following are the seven hills:
Vrushabadri
- Hill of Nandi, the vahana of Lord Shiva)
Anjanadri
- Hill of Lord Hanuman
Neeladri
— Hill of Neela Devi - It is believed that hair offered by the devotees is
accepted by Neela Devi. It is because of boon granted by Lord Venkateswara
to Neela Devi.
Garudadri
or Garudachalam - Hill of Garuda, the vahana of Lord Vishnu
Seshadri
or Seshachalam - Hill of Sesha, the dasa of
Lord Vishnu
Naraynadri
- Hill of Narada Muni
Venkatadri
- Hill of Lord Venkateswara
Festivals
Elephants
marching during a festival at Tirumala
The
town celebrates most Vaishnava festivals, including Vvaikunta Ekadasi, Rama
Ekadasi, Rama Navami, and Janmashtami with great splendor, while the
Brahmotsavam celebrated every year during September is the most important
festival in Tirumala. The temple receives millions of devotees over the short
span of a week. Other major festivals include Vasanthotsavam (spring
festival), conducted in March–April, and Rathasapthami (Magha Shuddha
Saptami), celebrated in February, when Lord Venkateswara's deity is taken on
procession around the temple chariots.
